Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Constant Conversation W/God Oct 24 Mon

AWE- ALMIGHTY GOD!

October 24, 2011, Monday

Make My Life Willess Today, Less Of All Things Me, More Of YOU !

ALL IN With All Things Of Your Kingdom,

Great God! Great GOD Travel Adventure!

It humbles me to the core of my being to stand before Soldiers and share the love and message of Jesus Christ, because I know that one day they may be giving their lives for my freedom. So, the greatest gift I can give them is sharing the life of Jesus, because His life will give them forever life.

#militarymonday Pray For Our Troops

It was a long day yesterday, but a very rewarding one as encouraged soldiers during the four Campus Military Ministry services. It was amazing to see God work, to see their faces change from hard to open, their countenances from wondering to courage. To watch God work through His Word, His Truth, His Hope and His Love to change a heart from death to life is a miracle of the heart that completely leaves me humbled that He would even want to use me, a broken vessel as His Voice and His Light. Me the one who cried out to God to let me stay home in North Carolina, the one who did not want to go to Georgia and then He uses me to tell others of Him of the greatness of His Holy Spirit. I stand in AWE of this great God. I came home tired yesterday and had to jump right on to the ministry of chat hosting for Biltmore's Vertical service and once again watch how this Awesome God could even through the internet change lives. It is more than I could imagine at times, His love for us imperfect people.

leadership wisdom from Ron edmondston blog

You are different – Opposites do tend to attract. Each spouse is not only differently physically, but there are differences in backgrounds, outlook on life and the way to approach a situation. This is not intended as a curse against marriage. God designed those differences for a reason. The more a couple learns to celebrate those differences, the stronger a marriage will become. (I address this issue in previous posts HERE and HERE.)

Leave and cleave – Don't let either set of in-laws dictate how you lead your new family. Decide in advance that no one, related or otherwise, is going to be a wedge between you two. Every couple has lots of other relationships, including perhaps children someday, but none of them should be allowed to interfere with the oneness God intends to create with the marriage. (I address these interferences more in THIS POST.)

Expect surprises – Life won't always be as blissful as it is today. There will be hard days, whether self-induced or life-induced. Life brings changes and those times have the ability to catch even the best marriages off guard if not prepared for them. We can never be fully prepared for what might come, but we can prepare ourselves that when something comes, whatever it is and no matter how hard it is, that we will handle it . Couples should use these times to improve the strength of their marriage rather than allow them to pull the marriage apart. (I talk about this issue in a post on keeping the marriage fun. Find it HERE.)

Make a commitment to the marriage no matter what – Couples usually assume they are doing this by standing at the altar together, but statistics would say otherwise. Many times these days a person is saying "I'm committed until it becomes difficult or until the love we have today fades." That's not the Biblical picture of marriage God designed. Marriage is more than simply a feeling of love, it is a commitment to love…for better or worse…from this day forward. Verbalizing and agreeing to that on the front end, and continuing to remind yourself of that through the difficult days, will help the marriage last. Couples who should ask for help soon, not letting problems in the marriage linger too long without asking for help. Remove the fear of asking for professional counseling if necessary. It would be better to get help early than to see the marriage disintegrate beyond repair. (I preached a message on the commitment of marriage HERE.)

Model after the right couples – I encourage couples to find a couple whose marriage they admire and follow them closely. Most likely they have some stories to share. Things may not have been as wonderful throughout their marriage as they are today. No doubt they have learned some practices to having a strong marriage. I challenge couples to learn all they can from the couple they want to be like. (I did a post about this issue HERE.)

Evaluate often – Couples should ask themselves often, are we growing together as a couple or further apart? Is the marriage growing stronger or are there holes that need addressing? Don't assume your spouse feels as you do. (I've learned this is especially true for men who often don't know there is a problem until it's a big problem.) Establish the understanding early in the relationship that you have the right to periodically check on the state of your marriage. (Read a post about questions to assess the health of a marriage HERE.)

Put Christ first – This is the one most couples expect the pastor to say, but it's not just the preacher answer, it's the best secret to a lasting marriage. "A chord of three strands is not easily broken." A couple's individual and collective relationship with Christ will ensure they can endure the hardest days of a marriage. When the relationship with Christ suffers, the marriage will often suffer. Satan looks for any excuse to destroy the marriage. Pour your heart and life into Christ and let Him strengthen and sustain your marriage. (I preached on Christ's standard for marriage HERE.)

That's my list. I'm not sure they apply simply to premarital couples. These are good principles for couples regardless of how long they have been married.

Just so you know, I have, at times, simply shared with them this list. Sometimes I weave them into the discussion. Regardless of how you choose to do it, make sure you are strategic in helping couples begin their married life together.

Pastors, how do you do premarital counseling? What would you add to my list?

My Thoughts About This:

Set Your Expectations In God!

We go into marriage sometimes with way too high expectations in each other. My expectations were horizontal 1st instead of vertical to God 1st. My husband was my knight in shining armor…. For the 1st 6 months or so until he fell off the horse! After the 1st year of my marriage, I stumbled into disappointment, disillusionment only because my expectations were in someone who could not meet all my needs. My expectations were not in a stable, Holy Alliance with God, but on a roller coaster ride of human conditions, which ended up in a perspective that soured my stomach towards my husband. I wish someone had explained that to me before I got married, that no human being could meet my needs. Eventually the Lord taught me and I got it, that He was the only one that could meet my needs and what I really needed was a sight adjustment in my focus, because the best alignment in marriage is vertical, from my heart to God's heart! Vertical! Out of this amazing Spirit To Spirit connection, all my horizontal relationships became burden less, because God was meeting my needs, so I could then be free to serve their interests 1st and was strong enough to forebear with their weaknesses as I put my expectations in God's capable hands. It is kind of funny how God works because my vertical relationship changes me 1st and when I had a horizontal relationship, I wanted God to change them, I never looked up and saw the image of God, therefore I only reflected my need. Having a vertical relationship with God, I see more clearly that I was perfectly created for my husband with and will be every day equipped with everything I need to be Mrs. Robert McCarthy. God has and will continue to make me into Bob's perfect helpmate as I put all my hope and expectation in God! I have a vertical relationship with God, He is my Rock, My Defense, My Provider, My Salvation, My Refuge, My Great And 1st Love and because of this, my horizontal relationship these last 33 years with my husband has been one that has grown into a three strand cord that is not easily broken and I am experiencing the true joy of having a best friend and being in a love relationships where there are no conditions and no expectations that God is not working out on my behalf and for His Glory, because God's Got This! AWE-GOD!

Psalm 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

A Seasoned Servant Of God Has Encouraged Me Today

Pastor Elliott

Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep"

Have you ever seen the pious and religious men and women of some sects of Judaism and Christianity who dress in black? Why black? A depressing and serious color. Why not pink, blue, or white…colors that reflect a more joyous feeling? I believe the answer is because many religious people believe they should not experience joy as a way of relating to the suffering of Christ. Although I can see their point and understand their rationale, I believe we should show our feelings honestly and unimpeded.

God doesn't tell us NOT to have feelings. He gives us guidelines for handling them. Spirituality doesn't mean having no feelings. Yeshua wept and rejoiced; Paul wrote openly about his feelings of despair as well as his confidence. King David danced for joy and admitted grief when he sinned. The fruit of the spirit includes joy. It is a gift from God. Why not show it?

Love, joy, sadness, courage, and fear are all part of the existence God has given us. Your godliness is not measured like a Richter scale where we hope that we don't have any emotions measured. Your emotions are measured by how you allow the choices arising from those feelings to be governed by the Word and the Spirit of the Living God.

I pray that today we all allow the Lord to govern our emotions.

Verse Of The Day@biblegateway.com

"Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment." Proverbs 9:10

Wisdom has built her house. She sets her table! All who are simple come and hear, if you lack judgement, come, eat my food. Walk in the way of understanding. Rebuke a wicked man, incur abuse. Rebuke a mocker, He will hate you. Teach a righteousness man and he will add to his learning. If you are wise your wisdom will reward you, a mocker will suffer. Folly is undisciplined, without knowledge. Let all who are simple come and hear.

The path of God's wisdom is not strewn with assumptions, but is paved with the fullness of God's Spirit and Truth. Assumptions flung like fiery darts do not burn up the wisdom of God; God's truth proves itself in time to be completely fire proof. We don't have to prove God's Wisdom, it stands on His Authority and it can and will endure through all those who test it's validity. Judgements made out of personal perspectives that are narrowed by boxing in God's wisdom, simply-significantly cannot prove themselves to be anything but foolish. God's Word is the final say of wisdom and the knowledgeable solution in all matters of our human condition. The common denominator of wisdom that stands the tests and trials of time is God's Spirit and Truth. Simply-Significantly, the Voice of God is wisdom and such knowledge and understanding is found in a personal relationship with God, as you surrender your human perspective and pray for His Higher Understanding. In relationship with God, you listen with spiritually conditioned ears that do not close out what you don't understand, but embrace the fullness of the mystery of AWE-GOD and it is in this humble state, God speaks and His Word becomes a powerful Rhema, leading you safely along a narrow path with His Good Judgement. Mockers of God's wisdom see only through the eyes of human perspective and walk on the broad path of comfortable mind-sets that don't stretch their humanity to and through an eternal perspective. Wisdom does not dead end as it is never found spiraling out on broad paths of assumptions that lead nowhere because of their simple minded judgements. Wisdom is set in your mind through God by a personal relationship with Him, His Spirit And His Truth. Wisdom steps out of a Holy Alignment of your heart with God's heart and it steps out into your world only because it has 1st bowed down in humble respect and AWE of God's Sovereignty. In Holy Alliance with God's Wisdom, your 1st step out is always down, bowed down before God in complete surrender of what you think you know and in respectful-humble Awe of your Almighty-All Knowing God. The wisdom of God is rich in relationship that results in the heart knowledge of Him and the partakers in such, will always walk in God's good judgement, gleamed from their personal relationship with the Holy Spirit and Truth. No assumptions! Know God- Experience His Wisdom in you and let His Knowledge live through you. AWE-GOD!

A Seasoned Servant Of God Has Encouraged Me Today

Debbie Ray Email

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pn4KQqSrrA&feature=related

Isaiah 61 1-3 The Year of the LORD's Favor

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

My Thoughts About This:

Oaks Of Righteousness. So Be It Jesus! So Be It! AWE-GOD! Talking Up Your Truth! Offering Your Hope To The Brokenhearted! Sharing The Joy Of Jesus In The Face Of Despair. Jesus!

A Minute With Maxwell

Teach! WE all teach. Are we good at it? Do we really help people Do we make a difference? Everyone talks but does everyone communicate. There is a lot of conversation going on, but is there a lot of connecting going on? Everyone talks but is there a lot of conversation, connecting going on? The greatest reward in life is pouring your life into someone and teaching through intention and watching it take. The fun of the teacher is not the subject matter, the fun of the teacher is with the person who takes the subject matter and applies it to their life… the person who takes what is taught and learns from it. There is no higher calling than teaching people positive things in life, having a connection with them and watching them grow.

My Thoughts About This:

I really like what you said about the fact that there is a lot of conversation going on, but not a lot of connection. Isn't that the truth about our culture! Empty conversations, surface and shallow communications set up to appease the conscious of our disposable culture. How can my life teach anything if I am not willing to connect, daring to care in a deep way? Today I will be thinking on how to improve this, so my communication results in connection. Really in a sense, it is the same thing missing between religion and relationship…. A heart to heart connection! Thank you!

What does a woman long for from her husband? Simply love. A husband's love is like a fresh breath from heaven for a wife who feels vulnerable and at times fearful. His love is a rock of refuge after she reels from a relational conflict at work, church, or from another family member. The love of her husband goes a long way in satisfying that deep desire of a woman to love and be loved. Boyd Bailey

"His banner over me is love" (Song of Solomon 2:4b).

Worthy News Brief @worthyemail.com

Kimberly, let the light break through!

Judges 7:16-19Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a shofar into every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers. And he said to them, "Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do: When I blow the shofar, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the shofars on every side of the whole camp, and say, 'The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!' " So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the shofars and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.

When God called Gideon to lead Israel against their enemies, He wanted to show that a small army empowered by God was more effective than the largest armies. But notice how they fought – without weapons that an army would normally use. They fought with shofars and lamps! They fought with weapons that the world would consider ineffective, yet triumphed mightily over their enemies. They shouted as loud as they could, sounded the shofar, and broke the vessels that held the fire so that their lamps burst through with brightness.

This breaking of the lamps of clay holds a powerful metaphor for us. If we too are "earthen vessels" holding the fire of God – the Spirit of God within us, then a "breaking" of the outer man is necessary for His inner light to burst through. Victory can come out of brokenness. Our old life of self, often called the "old man", when truly crucified and broken, will give way to the release of the Lord's Spirit of God in our lives. The death of our Lord has broken the power of our self-life, since we were crucified with Him. Walking in that awareness brings light and victory.

Kimberly, let the love, peace, joy, and all the fruit of the Spirit break through in your life. Your old life of Self has been and is being broken, as Yeshua's victorious light shines through your earthen vessel.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah

Baltimore, MD

My Thoughts About This:

I love that… a breaking of the outerman, the earthen vessels, that hold the fire of God causes God to shine through. Like that song: Broken Vessels of light piercing the night….

YOU VERSION NOTE – GOD INSPIRED- GOD WRITTEN

The Joy Of The Acquitted

1 THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 2 Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. 3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

Oh the joy of God's abundant favor! I never take it for granted because I know I was born into the human condition of original sin. I made a conscious decision to choose Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord and since then, I have experienced the beauty of the reconciliation Jesus' life in me reflects as I experience the Father God's Unconditional Love and Abundant Favor. Because Jesus Christ covers me in His Righteousness, my hope and expectation is set upon the Infinite Love and Powerful Favor of my Father God! The Glory of God is reflected in my life as I fully face my Father God and feel the warmth of His Favor upon my countenance and the Holy Spirit assures me, I am God's child. Jesus' Righteousness paves the way for me to have hope, even in my human condition. Yes, the hope of my salvation, Jesus, is my greatest joy and He helps me stay steady in joy-strength through the all of the everything of my life. I know I have the Favor of my Father God because of Jesus and this encourages me to hope and feeds my endurance with joy and strength as I persevere and grow though the hard seasons of my life, as my Godly character is developed and my integrity is formed. I have a confident hope because it rests on my salvation, this hope will never disappoint me. Oh the JOY of God's Holy Spirit, Who lives in me because of Jesus' righteousness that covers me! I can develop a natural habit of joyful-confident hope because of a supernatural love poured out by Jesus, a sacrifice made for me, where He invested in my kingdom life, my heavenly citizenship. Righteousness- Favor-Hope is a circle of unending reality because of God's Omnipresence shining in my life, unadulterated by sin, because Jesus took it to the cross, that I might fully face my Father God and be a reflection of HIS GLORY! AWE-GOD! Omnipresent Reality Check! YES! I have the favor of Almighty God! I can hope huge in this favor and love and it will stand as the human hardships of my life develop my fortitude and spiritual maturity. Oh The Everlasting Joy Of The Acquitted!

I know that the desires of my heart are sometimes tainted with my human condition of selfishness.

God's favor will encompass my heart desires, cover them in a Sovereignty that is strong enough to relax my will

Hope flourishes and nourishes my soul the most when my will is relaxed in a position of personal surrender.

Dark, Darker or Darkest, it doesn't matter the degree, what is significant is that the Light of God's hope shatters all darkness. Hope In God!

Romans 5:1-5

1 THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).2 Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

Reconciliation was made for me through Jesus and this gives me the hope of daily peace and favor between the Father God and I.

Because of Jesus Christ and His righteousness, I have the hope of God's Favor alive in my heart.

The Glory of God is alive in me and I have a hope that is not tainted by my human condition because Jesus covers me in His righteousness.

Jesus' righteousness is the path paved for me to have hope in my human condition

The hope of my salvation is my joy and it helps me stay steady in joy through the all of the everything of my life.

God's Hope feeds my endurance in His joy and strength as I persevere through the hard seasons of life, as my Godly character is developed and my integrity formed.

I have a confident hope because it rests on my salvation, this hope will never disappoint me, dissolution me or shame me.

Oh the JOY of God's Holy Spirit, Who lives in me because of Jesus' righteousness that covers me.

I can develop a natural habit of joyful-confident hope because of a supernatural love poured out by Jesus, invested in my Kingdom life.

Psalm 65:1-13

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A song.

TO YOU belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise) and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed. 2 O You Who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come. 3 Iniquities and much varied guilt prevail against me; [yet] as for our transgressions, You forgive and purge them away [make atonement for them and cover them out of Your sight]! 4 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You choose and cause to come near, that he may dwell in Your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. 5 By fearful and glorious things [that terrify the wicked but make the godly sing praises] do You answer us in righteousness (rightness and justice), O God of our salvation, You Who are the confidence and hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off on the seas; 6 Who by [Your] might have founded the mountains, being girded with power, 7 Who still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples, 8 So that those who dwell in earth's farthest parts are afraid of [nature's] signs of Your presence. You make the places where morning and evening have birth to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and saturate it with water; You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide them with grain when You have so prepared the earth. 10 You water the field's furrows abundantly, You settle the ridges of it; You make the soil soft with showers, blessing the sprouting of its vegetation. 11 You crown the year with Your bounty and goodness, and the tracks of Your [chariot wheels] drip with fatness. 12 The [luxuriant] pastures in the uncultivated country drip [with moisture], and the hills gird themselves with joy. 13 The meadows are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing together.

I like this Psalm because it truly reinforces what I believe about hope. I believe that hope grows strong as we develop our AWE-GOD.

When we begin developing our AWE of God in the all of our lives, it takes on an expression and it transforms our hope, maturing it into a hope that perseveres.

Being in God's Presence, developing a constant consciousness of Him, truly does develop a strong hope, a hope that will endure the all of our everything.

Knowing God, experiencing His Presence in the all of our everything helps us develop a strong hope in our lives.

Hope is fed by our AWE of God, by the knowing of His Character and the experiencing of His Presence as we develop a God consciousness that transforms our praise of God into AWE, a deep, respectful, humble, inspiring AWE-GOD!

Awe to me is reacting to God's Presence and expressing the majesty and magnificence of God's character in action all around us, His purposes in play in our lives.

This is my Groomsman's Journal in my journey with God through the Book "The Bridegroom's Voice! This book is an amazing God-Adventure it was written by Jesus for His Bride and penned by Kimberlymac. It will be available for online purchase in 2012. http://thebridegroomscafe.com/lltalkit12.htm

If you are interested and want to know when it is published and available to the public, send your email address to: kmac4him@maxforcepublishing.com God Bless You!

Check Out My Website For Further Encouragement-Exhortations From God! Enjoy!

The Bridegroom's Café http://thebridegroomscafe.com

Currently Posted Menu

AUTHOR TABLE******************Freedom!

BREAKFAST TABLE***************Precious Treasure

FAMILY TABLE*******************Way Of Truth

LISTENER TABLE*****************Sin

MILITARY TABLE*****************Omnipresent

SERVANT TABLE******************Joyfulicious

SMORGASBORD TABLE ***********Tolerate-NO Truth-YES!

Follow Me On Twitter @kmac4him

I have written an amazing book, actually God wrote it to His Bride and I penned it. It will be an incredible journey for you with AWE-GOD. It will be available in 2012 online. If you are interested email me your email address at kmac4him@maxforcepublishing.com I will make sure you get notified when the Bridegroom's Voice is ready to be purchased online. God Bless You Huge!

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About Me

I belong to God... completely! I live my life for Him, enjoying each day and making the most of it as I look forward to my future and hope with Him forever.
I am a wife of 34 years, a mother and a grandmother.
I spend most of my quality time encouraging others through writing. My exhortations are posted at http://www.thebridegroomscafe.com